as my world turns – beauty products North America, skincare products

I don’t know many people who are not fans of Disney in some way, shape or form. I grew up with Mickey & Minnie, Winnie the Pooh, and have continued to love the ‘newer’ Disney characters like Nemo, Dory, Buzz Lightyear, etc. Last year, when I was shopping at Walmart, I found the Mickey & Minnie Tsum Tsum lip smackers and purchased them for a huge Disney fan, my mother. I don’t think she has opened the packages as she is a collector and I get it. These are absolutely adorable. But I had to wonder, do these lip balms actually offer any type of benefits outside of amazingly cute packaging and the ability to stack them on top of each other…..and just in case you are wondering ‘tsum tsum’ translates to ‘stack-stack’ in Japanese.

FYI I own all of these and they were all purchased by me. Hair tools-there are so many and yet so few that aren’t straight up gimmicks! I felt the need to do this post because over the years, I have found some hair tools that have made a significant difference in my hair and really stepped up my game. Some of them have a higher price point and I have to tell you, they are WORTH the investment. Some of them are super inexpensive-and are also worth the investment. Take a look below to read about my favorite hair tools.

I honestly am so pale most of the year. I used to think that I shouldn’t be allowed to bronze….that it would look orange or obviously fake. So why should a pale girl use bronzer? Well besides that we don’t want to blind people with our pale-ness, it’s a great way to look ‘healthy’ without the UV damage.

Here’s the thing-us pale gals CAN and SHOULD wear bronzer. It’s all about the proper products, formula, and tools for application. When I wear bronzer, this is what I wear. In my opinion, these are the best bronzers & tools for fair skin. FYI I actually own all of these bronzers and recommend them for different reasons. Enjoy and let me know if you have tried any of these and what your thoughts are. Thanks for reading!

Housekeeping note-I am cool toned so while my bronzers are for ‘warming’ up my skin, they all are cool toned. Bronzers that have a lot of warmth make me look orange. (more…)

*the Scandaleyes mascara(s) were sent to me for review. The Volume Colourist mascara was purchased by me*

I LOVE MASCARA. Honestly it’s what keeps me going some days. When I’m not wearing it (as was the case recently-but that’s another story for another day), people notice, and ask me what’s wrong. Also, I love the ‘action’ of applying it-anyone else do the same? I actually enjoy applying mascara to my lashes. So that being said, I was super happy and grateful to receive these Scandaleyes mascaras for review.

I received these products for review-if you watch me on YouTube you’d know that already (shameless plug). So subscribe here please 🙂

Obviously my hair means something to me-especially if you know me or have seen me in person, on facebook, on instagram, on snapchat or on YouTube(again, shameless plugs). I am, for the most part a professional salon product user -from conditioner, to shampoo, to styling aids and accessories. Once in awhile, I like to ‘play the field’-which my stylist HATES (sorry Marina). Seriously though, it’s good to take a look at what’s “out-there” and see if I’m missing anything.

So you’ve been asking about my morning skincare routine. And asking. It’s time for me to deliver. So here’s what I use on my skin in the MORNING. Now. I can’t lie. The evening is when the real magic happens in terms of products. Or maybe not. I think there are equal parts of pixie dust in both the morning and the evening.

Surprisingly enough I get a LOT of requests about my recommendations as to what is the best BB creams for dry skin. My skin is combination-oily meaning I have an oily t-zone and ‘normal’ skin on my chin, cheeks, and forehead. But I constantly get asked about BB creams for dryskin so I thought I’d mention some. These are products I have tried-some of them worked for me even though I have oily skin and some were definitely for people with dry skin. Read below for my top recommendations for BB cream for dry skin. Let me know if you have tried any of these or have additional suggestions.

This product contains moisturizers to sooth dry patches, and vitamin E to improve moisture retention so your skin remains soft all day long. This Beauty Balm has a proprietary mixture of fruit extracts and antioxidants to create a skin care solution that works.

I always felt that if I wanted to be a ‘lipstick’ person that I REALLY had to commit. Making your lipstick last longer has always been a challenge. Between talking, eating, and sipping-I am constantly moving my mouth (keep it clean people), and never thought I could pull off wearing lipstick without bringing my ‘after’ kit….as in after-eating, after-talking, after-drinking. The products that add extra weight to your bag and prevent you from just rocking your cute little clutch. However I’ve recently starting wearing lipstick again-and more often. I wanted to share with you the products I use to make my lipstick last longer – I won’t say that you don’t still need to bring your touch-up bag, but it will be a bit lighter.

Lip scrub/exfoliant-this is (in my opinion) the BEST way to prep the lips to make your lipstick last longer. Use the scrub to remove any dead skin/flakes. My other ‘pro-tip’-make sure you completely remove the scrub/exfoliant so you don’t have the granules ‘hanging out’ on your lips. You need a smooth surface to work on!

Lip balm-but only if you have time! Honestly having moisturized lips is a beautiful thing-feels great AND looks great. Apply a light balm that’s not too waxy and wait 15-20 minutes for it to absorb. Blot lightly with tissue.

Lip primer-again not totally necessary but a ‘good to have’ in most cases- just like eyes and face, lips can use a smooth surface that’s clean and ready for product. In a pinch? I actually use a small amount of concealer and/or foundation as your primer.

Lip liner-There are several different schools of thought on this. Some experts say to match your liner to your lipstick-and I’d agree with that if you are wearing a strong red or bright pink. With my ‘everyday’ lipstick which is slightly more neutral (and fairly ‘tame’ considering my personality), I choose a liner that slightly and I mean SLIGHTLY lighter than the lipstick I plan to wear. My liner of choice is a standard you-have-to-sharpen-it pencil or the self sharpening twist up liners. Make sure the tip is sharp-as precision is the name of the game here. I warm the liner by drawing on my hand so that it will glide on. I draw an ‘x’ on my cupid’s bow to start (unless I am filling in my lips with the liner-then do NOT do that) and then line my natural lips, using short strokes.

Liquid lipstick– I know, I know-liquid lipsticks still make some people cringe. Honestly they’ve come a long way since the originals that would crack and dry your lips to the point that you want to cover yourself in Vaseline. Believe me when I say there IS a liquid lipstick ‘out there’ for everyone. If you are not keen on liquid lipstick, then I recommend a demi-matte or semi-matte formula with long-wearing properties. Applying a liquid lipstick can be tricky and requires practice but technique comes with time and heck, if I can do it, so can you! I start with my lower lip, and once that’s done I press my lips together. Then I move on to the upper lip. Usually one application (of liquid lipstick) is enough but if you want to apply a 2nd layer, work quickly.

Compact mirror: Okay, so maybe THIS is my no brainer. Even though it’s liquid lipstick, if you are going out for an event or to a special dinner, you may want to bring the lipstick and a mirror along to touch up. Although my pick isn’t what I would recommend for a night at the club, I love this very much-especially the lights.

Kylie Jenner was already on the right track when she packaged a lip liner and a liquid lipstick together (GOSH-I never thought I would give any of the K’s kredit for anything…..see what I did there?).

These are my tips on how to make your lipstick last longer. Now I turn to you. How do you get the most wear time out of your lipstick? What are some of your tips to make your lipstick last longer? Tell me how in the comments below.

I started noticing that my eye area was changing when I was in my late 30’s-especially the appearance of fine lines, which REALLY bothered me. I had never investigated eye creams specifically, and knew that I probably should’ve been using one (or three) but didn’t bother, assuming that since my skincare was great, that my eyes would absorb the product I was using on my face and everything would be dandy. Well, I was wrong about that-hence this blog post. Please see my picks for the Best Eye Creams for Wrinkles.

What are your favorite or best eye creams? Found anything that really works for you that you’d care to share? Leave your recommendations in the comments below!

This best selling cream hydrates, moisturizes and softens delicate facial skin to help stop the advancement of aging with no parabens, artificial colors or artificial fragrances. It is 77% organic, contains Rosehip oil and is not tested on animals.

Benefits:

Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, dryness and sagging.

Increase elasticity, firm and plump skin.

Improve skin tone and texture. Reduce discoloration and scaring.

Hydrate, soften and smooth the skin to prevent premature aging.

Not just for the eyes! Apply on face, neck and décolletage area for radiant looking skin.

Restores skin by rejuvenating, enriching and moisturising so it is smooth,firm, and filled with moisture.Contains Matrixyl 3000 and Plant Stem Cells to reinforce the skin and prevent eye bags and wrinkles.

Protects the skin with Hyaluronic acid, preventing sagginess, and helps dark circles around the eyes.

Gel can also be used on all parts of the body, leaving the skin looking radiant and feeling smooth and nourished.

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